Rounding machine



p 11, 1945- c. G. BROSTROM ETAL ROUNDING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 5, 1942 llllllllll H Vm W I I I i I Sept. 11, 1945. c. G. BROSTRCIJM ETAL 2,384,530

ROUNDING MACHINE Filed April 3, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept. 1945- c. G. BROSTROM ET AL 2,384,530

ROUNDING MACHINE Filed April 3, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Sept. 11, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT O FFl'CE-f.

ROUNDING MACHINE Salem, and Walter E. Naugler, Beverly, Mass, assignors to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Flemington, N. J a corporation of New Jersey Application April 3, 1942, Serial No 437,482

Charles G. Brostrom,

17 Claims.

This invention relates to machines by which work-pieces are rounded or formed as to their contour, it having to do particularly with machines for operating upon shoe-soles, an example of which is furnished by that disclosed in Letters Patent of the United States No. 2,319,296, Brostrom, May 18, 1943.

In the manufacture of shoes, it may be desired to produce upon a part, indicating means which will serve during later steps to guide the operator or to control the operation of a machine. It is an object of the present invention to effect a change of form of an element, as a shoe-sole, for this or an analogous purpose, by means which is simple, effective and readily governed by the operator.

The above end is gained by combining, in a rounding machine, a rounding knife or cutter movable into and; out of engagement with the work, as by its reciprocation, means for feeding the work to receive the action of the knife, and means for moving the work and knife relatively to each other for a predetermined number of its reciprocations. There is thus caused a departure from the rounded contour normally produced; this giving, for example, a projection from a sole-edge which may serve the controlling function above referred to. The knife preferably has a cutting edge which will remove successive pieces from the work, and, when the relative movement between the work and knife occurs, there will be formed a projection from the rounded edge, the extent of which depends upon the number of reciprocations during which the knife was out of its normal position. As herein disclosed, the change in the rounded contour results from movement of the knife, actuated under the power of the machine and controlled by the operator. The knife preferably reciprocates upon a movable bearing, which has movable upon it a contact member normally lying out of the path of movable actuating means, which may include a continuously rotatable cam. Under the influence of means controlled by theoperator, the contact member may be shifted into the path of the actuating means to produce the desired movement of the bearing. Upon such movement, the operatorcontrolled means releases the contact member, leaving the time of engagement between it and the actuating means dependent upon the form of the cam and therefore predetermined.

One of the several possible embodiments of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. l is a partial front elevation ofthe-ime proved rounding machine; I I Fig, 2, a broken side elevation thereof, with the knife in its normal relation; 1 Fig. 3, a detail in broken side elevationshowing the knife elevated by its actuating cam to Pro-. duce the projection from the rounded edge; 7 3 Fig. 4, a front elevation of said controlling mechanism as positioned in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5, a bottom plan view of a portion shoe-sole, this illustrating the normal contour of the rounded edge with the projection produced by the machine of this invention; and Fig. 6 is a separated perspective view of the elements by which the knife is raised above the normal line of action. I

A rounding machine-to whichthe invention may be applied, requires description onlyas to its general characteristics. .Upon a head [0511pported by a column [2 isv carried a bearingv l l for a reciprocatory spindle l6. At the forward extremity of the spindle is mounted for vertical. adjustment a chopping-knife l8, cutting against an anvil 2|] fixed in a bracket 22 depending from the front of the head. The'spindle I6 is joined by a link 24 to a crank-pin 26, revolvedby ashaft 28 journaled transversely of the head-and rotated through gearing 30 from a countershaft. 32, having a. bearin in the head and driven by belt gearing 34 from' an unillustrated source.

The work, which may be a sole S attached'to a shoe-upper U (Fig. 3), is advanced toreceive the action of the rounding knife by rotatablefeedrolls 36 and 38. The roll 36 'is fixedupon the lower end of a downwardly and outwardlyinclined shaft49, journaled in abearing 42 adjustable as to angle upon :block 44 and 'alsoadu'ustable verticallyby the positioningof said block upon the head. This roll 36 has an angular toothed periphery, arranged to enter thecrease of a shoe to gage it, and advance it as indicated-by the arrow in Fig. 1. 'It is'driven'from a motor 45 through belt-gearing 48, reducing gearing enclosed in a casing 50, and through'intermediate connections to sprocket-gearing and spiralgearing 56. 'The roll 38 is'adaptedto engage-the tread-surface ofthe sole; it being rotatable about a vertical axis upon a slide 58 movable horizontally on the head 10 and urged normally toward the roll 36 by a tension spring 60' (Fig. 2) T slide and roll may be retracted for the introduc'- tion of the work by a bell-crank-lever'BZ connected to an unillustrated treadle. Rotationis imparted to the roll 38 from the sp te ing 54, through sprocket-gearing 64, spiral-gearing 66 and spur-gearing 68.

Considering now the mechanism more directly involved in the present invention, the bearin I4 for the rounding-knife-spindle is pivoted at 88 upon the head, being held normally down by a tension-spring 82, to locate the knife I8 for such action against the anvil 20 as to produce the normal rounded edge upon the sole positioned between the rolls 36 and 38. The cutting edge 84 of the knife is shown as arcuate, with its closed side down, it being adapted to remove successively from the sole-edge separate pieces, which, by overlapping, may be caused to form an edge d e parting but little from a continuous curve. Pivoted at 86 upon the bearing I4 (Figs. 2, 3' and 4) is a contact member 88, the downwardly extended lower portion of which is pressed against a vertical wall 90 upon the head I by an expansion-- spring 92, interposed between the upper portion of the contact member and the bearing. Pivoted upon a forward projection 94 from the head I!) is an arm 96, having rotatable upon its inner extremity a roll 98 drawn by a tension-spring I00 into contact with the periphery of a cam I92. The cam" and arm furnish actuating means for the bearing I4 to move the knife laterally upward, such means being in continuous operation during the use of the machine but normally ineffective. For this operation, the shaft I64 of the card, which is iournale'd transversely of the head, may, by a spur-gear I06, intermediate gear ing I08 (Fig. '1) and a pinion Ill), be constantly driven from the shaft 28 of the rounding-knife.

In the normal action of the knife I8 upon the sole-edge, the end I I 2 of the ant 96' oscillates idly in an angular space II 4 in the Contact member 8 B (Fig. 2) the spring 92 holding a shoulder IIS upon the member clear ofthe ar'm. To enable the operatorto produce upon the sole-edge the projection or other departure from the normal rounded contour. and at the desired point, a controlling rod II 8 is joined to a tre'adle or other element arranged for actuation by the operator. As is customarythis operator-controlled rod is held normally elevated by a spring which is not shown. This trees a collar I26 (Figs. 1 and 2) rest. uponthe rod against the underside of the arm I22 of a m ms m-iever L, fulcrumed upon a bracket 12d projecting horiiontally from the head I0. movemerit of the red and lever in this direction is variably limited by the Contact of a screw I23, threaded through the upper portion of the divided end of an I28 of the lever. with a projection I30 "from the 'braeket I24. Upon a third and upwardly extending arln I32 of the lever L is pivoted a substantially horizontal shifting dog I34 for the contact inen'rber 88, it having an angular en'd I36 for engagement with a projection I 38 from the side of said member; The dog is forced up', so eith'erits body-portion- (Fig. 2) orits end I 36 (Fig; 3) may bear against the projection I38, by an expansion-spring I40. This spring is seated in a depression in a lug I42 uponone side of the lever-"arm I32 and supports the dog- A screw I44, threaded through a d pending portion of the dog and contacting with the side. of the lug, limits the upward movementof the end I35. The rod II8 passes upwardly from the colla I28 through the end of the lever-arm I22, above which it is surrounded by a compression-spring I46, resting at its lower end upon the lever-arm and abutting at its upper extremity against a collar I48 fast upon the rod.

As to the operation of the machine, the elements are initially as appears in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The knife I8 is in constant reciprocation into and out of cutting relation to the anvil 20, while the feed-rolls 36 and 38 are similarly rotated. Drawing back the roll 38 through the slide 58 and lever 62, the operator applies the crease of a shoe to the angular periphery of the roll 35, and frees the roll 38 for engagement with the tread-surface of the sole. The work is thereby advanced, guided by the roll 36 while the knife rounds the sole-periphery to a contour normally corresponding to that of the crease. Although the arcuate edge of the knife removes from the sole-edge a series of discrete chips, the rate of advance of the work and of reciprocation of the knife are so related that the rounded edge presents an almost smooth surface. When there is reached a point in the sole-edge at which the operator wishes to produce an indicating or controlling projection, he draws down the rod H8. The movement of the actuating cam I02 and arm 98 is continuous but, prior to actuation of the lever L, the end II2 of the arm will oscillate idly in the space II4 of the contact member 88 (Fig. 2). The movement of the rod, through the spring I46, depresses the lever arm I22 yieldably to an adjustable extent permitted by the engagement of a screw I50, threaded through the lower branch of the lever-arm I28 with the bracketp'rojectiorr I30 (Fig. 3). The resulting contraclockwise movement of the lever-arm I32 carries the end I36 of the dog I 34' against the projection I38 of the contact member, behind which projection it normally rests. This ekerts a force tending to shift the lower end of the contact member to the left, and, when the cam I02 allows the actuating arm 96 to fall, the contact member is swung outwardly by the dog'- until the shoulder I I6 is above the end II 2 of the actuating arm. Now, for a period depending upon the form of the cam, the arm acting through the contact member will lift the bearing I4 against the tension of the spring 82, so the knife I8 is reciprocating above its normal line of action and removingsnialler chips. There will thus be produced, as shown in Fig. 5, a projection P from the edge of the sole S. As long as the knife remains raised, the crest of the projection will have some peripheral extent. But for the number of knife-reciprocations which occurred during the formation of the projection illustrated, this being three, the return of the knife to normal will remove the greater part of said projection, leaving it pointed. This is desirable for certain purposes, but may be altered by a change in the cam. Upon the first elevation of the contact member 88 by the actuating arm, the projection I38 leaves the end I36 of the dog I34, s0 said dog is held by its spring I 40 in the position appearing in Fig. 3,. in which the end lies beneath the projection in a position determined by the screw I44. In spite of this release of the contact member by the dog, its shoulder II6 remains in engagement with the end II2 of the actuating arm, because of the friction between the two elements produced by the heavy spring 82. The operator, however, has lost control of the contact member, and therefore control of the knife is nullified, because of the ineffective relation of the dog. This continues for the chosen number of knife-strokes, as already indicated, until the cam I02 permits the spring IIIIIto lower the actuating arm, returning the knife to its normal position. When the spring 82 depresses the bearing I4 and knife I8, the operator may or may not have released the rod H8. Inthe first instance, the dog will have been so positioned by the lever L that the projection I38 will at once assume its normal rela'tion, appearing in Fig. 2. In the second, the projection will strike and bear upon the top of the angular end I36 of the dog. But, a-s-soon as the rod is freed by the operator, its collar E20 acts upon the lever L to shift the dog to the position of Fig. 2. Thus, regardlessof the time of release of the rod H8 by the operator, the dog attains the correct relation to the projection of the contact member, ready for the succeeding operation.

Having described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a rounding machine, a rounding-cutter movable into and out of cutting engagement with the work for the production of a normal rounded contour, means for feeding the work to receive the action of the cutter, and means controlled by the operator and operating under the power of the machine for moving the work and cutter relatively to each other for a predetermined number of cutting movements to cause a departure from the rounded contour normally produced.

2. In a rounding machine, a reciprocatory rounding-knife operative to produce a normal rounded contour, means for feeding the work to receive the action of the knife, and means controlled by the operator and operating under the power of the machine for moving the 'Work and knife relatively to each other for a predetermined number of reciprocations of said knife to cause a departure from the rounded contour normally produced.

3. In a rounding machine, a reciprocatory rounding-knife the cutting edge of which is formed to remove successive pieces from the work, an anvil against which the knife cuts, means for feeding the work across the anvil to receive the action of the knife, and means for moving the work and knife relatively to each other to cause the knife to remove smaller pieces from the work while the feed continues.

4. In a rounding machine, a reciprocatory rounding-knife having an arcuate cutting edge, means for feeding the work to receive the action of the knife, and means controlled by the operator and operating under the power of the machine for moving the work and knife relatively to each other to change the action of the knife upon the work for a predetermined number of reciprocations.

5. In a rounding machine, a movable rounding cutter, means for feeding material bodily past the cutter for the production in the material of a normal rounded contour, and means operating under the power of the machine and controlled by the operator for moving the cutter to cause a departure from such normal rounded contour.

6. In a rounding machine, a movable roundingcutter, means for feeding the work to receive the action of the cutter and including a gage contacting with said work to direct its advance past the cutter along a path to produce a normal rounded contour, and means operating under the power of the machine and controlled by the openator for moving the cutter to cause a departure from such normal rounded contour.

'7. In a rounding machine, a movable rounding-cutter, means for feeding the work to receive the action of the cutter, and means actuated under the power of the machine as initiated by the operator for moving the cutter away from the work and then returning it independently of operator-control to cause a departure of predetermined extent from the rounded contour.

8. Ina-rounding machine, a movable rounding-cutten afmovable bearing in which the cutter is movable to produce its out, means for feeding the work to receive the action of the cutter, means for moving thebearing under'the'power of the machine, and meansmovable by the operator fo controlling the movementof the bearing.

9.In a roundingmachine, a movable rounding-cutter, a movable bearing in which the cutter is movable to produce its cut, means for feeding the work to receive the action of the cutter, means for moving the bearing under the power of the machine, means movable by the operator for controlling the movement of the bearing, and means acting as a result of the operation of the machine to nullify such control.

10. In a sole-rounding machine, a work-guide, a reciprocatory rounding-knife co-operating therewith, a movable bearing in which said knife reciprocates, actuating means, a contact member movable upon the bearing and lying normally out of the path of the actuating means, and means controlled by the operator to shift the contact member into the path of the actuating means.

11. In a sole-rounding machine, a work-guide, a reciprocatory rounding-knife co-operating therewith, a movable bearing in which said knife reciprocates, actuating means, a contact member movable upon the bearing and lying normally out of the path of the actuating means, and means controlled by the operator to shift the contact member into the path of the actuating means to produce movement of the bearing, said contact member being released by the operator-controlled means upon movement of the bearing.

12. In a sole-rounding machine, a work-guide, a reciprocatory rounding-knife co-operating therewith, a movable bearing in which said knife reciprocates, actuating means, a contact member movable upon the bearing and lying normally out of the path of the actuating means, and means controlled by the operator to shift the contact member into the path of the actuating means to produce movement of the bearing, said contact member being released by the operator-controlled means upon movement of the bearing, operating engagement between the actuating means and contact member being frictionally maintained for a predetermined time.

13. In a sole-rounding machine, a reciprocatory rounding knife, means for advancing material to present a margin to the rounding knife, a bearing in which the knife reciprocates, said bearing being movable to shift the knife transversely of the margin, a rotatable cam, and means actuated by the cam for moving the bearing during the reciprocation of the knife.

14. In a rounding machine, a reciprocatory rounding-knife, a movable bearing therefor, a rotatable cam, an arm oscillated by the cam, a contact member movable upon the bearing into and out of the path of the arm, and a, member movable by the operator to shift the contact member into the path of the arm.

15. In a rounding machine, a reciprocatory rounding-knife, a movable bearing therefor, a continuously rotatable cam, an arm oscillated by the cam, a contact member movable upon the bearing into and out of the path of the arm, and a member movable by the operator to shift the contact member into the path of the arm for actuation thereby, the contact member being released from the shifting member upon movement of the bearing.

16. In a rounding machine, a reciprocatory rounding-knife, a movable bearing therefor, a continuously rotatable cam. an arm oscillated by the cam, a contact member movable upon the bearing into and out of the path of the arm, a

lever movable by the operator, and a dog pivoted upon the lever for engagement with the contact member.

17. In a rounding machine, a reciprocatory 

